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I spent last Friday at the county courthouse training to be an election worker for the 2016 election. Under most circumstances in my life, except for standing in 110+ degree heat in line at the Clark County Courthouse getting a marriage license, a trip to the courthouse usually conjures negative feelings and problems -- paying parking and traffic fines, jury duty summons, and a medical bankruptcy over a decade ago. But this was a largely interesting, pleasurable experience -- getting to know a

HANOVER, NH – On Wednesday, The Centrist Project announces its endorsement of two Independent candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives: Martin Babinec of New York (NY-22) and Alan LaPolice of Kansas (KS-1). The Centrist Project is the leading national organization working to break the partisan hold on the U.S. Congress by promoting the election of Independent, centrist Senators and House Members to bring common-sense, effective leadership to Washington. The Centrist Project has also end

Deep in their cups after November 8th, lamenting the rolling tragedy that was this election season, the realization will settle in: “We could have won this one.” “This was a winnable race. The opponent was so flawed. The people are so mad. We could have elected a worthy American to be president. Someone all Americans can believe in. We could have....” They will stare longingly at the numbers. According to Real Clear Politics average of polls, 63% of the people think the country is on the wrong

Kansas is not typically a state that gets much attention during an election year. It is generally considered a solid red state; however, that began to change in 2014 when independent U.S. Senate candidate Greg Orman ran a close race against Republican incumbent U.S. Senator Pat Roberts. In 2016, there is an unusual race taking place in the 1st Congressional District in Kansas. An ag-based area, from which the likes of Bob Dole hale, the rural district doesn't make the news often. In August, how

Why stick with third party and independent candidates in November, if Clinton and Trump have a combined 80% of the electorate in all major polls? In an election season that is anything but usual, one trend is holding up: outside campaigns are losing support in the last months of the race. The campaigns of Libertarian candidate Gov. Gary Johnson, Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein, independent candidate Dr. Lynn S. Kahn, and Veterans Party candidate Chris Keniston responded to a short question

Green Party ballot access campaigns have had more success in 2016 than ever before, according to Rick Lass, Ballot Access Coordinator for the Jill Stein campaign. You can check out the Greens' infographic to see states turn green as each state's required signatures are submitted. So far, 43 states are green. Lass is sure that Greens will make it onto 44 state ballots, plus Washington, D.C. The only state so far, with no chance of turning green is South Dakota. Greens failed to gain ballot acce

“Those who have been bred in the school of politics fail now and always to face the facts.”  ― Henry David Thoreau, “Slavery in Massachusetts” It was disappointing to read that Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin is spending public money urging voters to leave the United Independent Party ahead of an important registration deadline. But it was not a surprise. Massachusetts has a long history of using the power of incumbency to cripple political opponents. In fact, it’s

I've said throughout this election cycle that top-down campaigning won't have great results when it comes to independents and third-party candidates trying to affect change. Bernie Sanders came to this position after his primary loss, acknowledging that change must start at the bottom, penetrating all levels of government, and work its way to the highest levels of office. There are many reasons for this -- oppressive state laws requiring significant hoop-jumping for ballot access, the stigma o

Every election year, the Kansas State Fair is the primary platform for candidates running for state and federal offices to debate in a public, neutral environment -- and often with very large, energetic crowds. But this year, there's a twist in the debate schedules after a very expensive Republican primary, costing over $5 million, in the 1st U.S. congressional district. The incumbent tea party darling, Tim Huelskamp, was defeated by Roger Marshall in a bitter fight over Huelskamp's various 'd

Not since 2008 has the Libertarian Party been this active in Kansas politics, with a candidate challenging all four congressional districts, the Senate seat, and the presidency in the same election year -- and 2016 may in fact turn out to be a record year for minor party and independent candidates. But with the 'winds of political change' being fueled by a resentment of Republican Governor Sam Brownback's 'great Laffer Curve experiment,' 2016 may be the best chance yet of scoring big at the bal